A “First Family” of Macoupin County IL

Huriah's application for veteran's pension in Morgan County IL

Huriah Gilmore was born in 1749 on the Neuse River in North Carolina. His parents died when he was young, and a cousin raised him. He served on the Virginia line in three different enlistments, and testified to all of this in 1832 in Morgan County Court in Jacksonville. He was granted a pension for his service. I think at that time he had moved to Chambersburg in Pike County, IL. He had lived in Georgia, Tennessee, and Morgan County before that. Later, he and Seburn went to Macoupin County. They owned land which is now inside the city of Carlinville. Huriah died there 3 July 1844, and his will was probated that year. His will mentions five children: Henry (my ancestor) who lived at that time in Greene County in the NW corner of Athensville Township; Seburn who was the executor and lived in or near Carlinville; and three daughters: Margaret, wife of John Copeland; Temperence Spicer; and Sarah.

Huriah's wife was Harriet Wiley, daughter of another Revolutionary Patriot, William Wiley. We have no kind of information about when or where Harriet died.

Henry died in Greene County 24 July 1846. Seburn moved to Texas where he served at one point as sheriff in Tarrant County, and is buried in what is now Ft. Worth. We haven't had any luck tracing the daughters. We think there were two other sons: John and Huriah, Jr. Huriah, Jr. stayed in Tennessee when the rest of the family moved to Illinois, and we think had died by the time Huriah did.

Henry populated much of Athensville Township almost single-handedly. He had 15 children with his two wives, Mary McDaniel and Caroline Jouett. Some of Henry's and Caroline's descendants, Paul Gilmore and Randy Gilmore, live in Carlinville now. Paul is Randy's uncle.



Huriah Gilmore's Revolutionary War Pension Testimony

State of Illinois Morgan County

A.D. 1832 On this eleventh day of September personally appeared in open court before Samuel D. Silkwood, Judge of Circuit Court of Morgan County now sitting Huriah Gilmore of Pike County, Illinois, aged eighty-three years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following officers and served as herein stated.

In July A.D. 1776 or 1777, which year I cannot distinctly recollect at this remote period I, Huriah Gilmore, then living in Bedford County, State of Virginia at Flat Creek near the waters of Otter River, volunteered as a soldier and entered the service of the United States as a private in the company commanded by Captain Charles Watkins and James Adams Lieutenant, which consisted of about fifty men. We ranged through the mountains of Virginia over Blue Ridge and Waldron Ridge and to the Cumberland Gap so called, engaged against the Shawnee and Kickapoo tribes of Indians until the month of October following from Cumberland Gap we were called to march to Boonsboro Fort on the Kentucky River to relieve the forces then there under the command of Colonel Luttrel and Captain Smith. Colonel Daniel Boon remained still in the fort. I remained in the fort until the middle of the winter following. While there Daniel Boon had taken was taken prisoner, with about twenty privates, by the Shawnee Indians. In going to Boonsboro fort we met Major Henderson and Colonel Richard Caloway. I returned in the middle of the same winter from the campaign, about five months in length. I recollect not distinctly whether I received any discharge from Captain Watkins if I did I considered it of no value at that time and have not it for this service I received my full pay. I know of no person who can testify to my service in this campaign.

In February A.D. 1781 Col. Charles Lynch raised 500 riflemen. I then volunteered and entered the service of the United States as a private. William Jones commanded my company, Captain Moore and Captain Melvins (?) two of the other companies in Col. Lynch regiment. We marched direct to Guilford County in North Carolina and joined the Southern Army under the command of General Greene and was there at the time of the battle between Lord Cornwallis' army and General Greene's. When the American Army gave ground to the English. Three days before the battle I was taken sick and was confined to my bed. When I recovered I obtained a furlough and returned home to Bedford County. I think was some time in April same year making the time of my campaign about three months. I had no opportunity of becoming acquainted with any of the Field Officers and their names have escaped my memory except those above named. I know of no living person who can testify to my service in this campaign.

In August A.D. 1781 while living in Bedford County, Virginia, I was drafted as a soldier and entered the service of the United States as a private soldier in company commanded by Charles Caloway first lieutenant Cobus (?) Gearly, second Lieutenant Marcus Haines. The Colonel then the militia in the county was James (?) Calvary. Companies from Bedford County from Henry County and Spotslyvania County met in the East part of Bedford County and from there marched through a place called Petersburgh to James River at Swans Point. Where we crossed an joined the main army at Little York Town under General Washington and Gen. LaFayette where I remained until the surrender of Lord Cornwallis and his army in constant service during this time. I recollect of no other officers at this time neither did procure a discharge and have no documentary evidence whatsoever by which to substantiate my service. I continued during three months. I have never received one cent of money for any of my services except the first named and asked not (?) them how I should be paid before I consented to be on a campaign and that now in my old age and in my circumstances of extreme poverty when the munificence of Government who have at last consented to take upon the pension list those whom the unfortunate in circumstances of the time and want of education prevents receiving and preserving the necessary documentary evidence to obtain their hard earned pittance. I was born in North Carolina, at Noose River in the year 1749. What month I do not recollect there was a record of my age made by my parents but was not preserved. A sister grown up or was an adult when I was born told me in later life she recollected my age by the circumstances of my father's giving a deed of a certain piece of land when I was at the breast. When very young my parents moved to Big Pedee in South Carolina and from there to after losing my parents. I was taken and brought or raised by a cousin Mr. Gilmore in Cumberland, North Carolina where I remained until 1776 or 1777 when I removed and settled in Bedford County, Virginia. In the fall after Lord Cornwallis' surrender I removed into Rowan County, North Carolina, for one year then I removed into Georgia into Overton County and Warren County until 1828 when I removed to Morgan County, Illinois, and remained one year. I then removed to Pike County, Illinois where I now reside. I am known by David V. (?) Hendenburgh and Weston Cloud who have for some time been near neighbors to me. I hereby relinquish every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present and declare my name is not on the pension roll of any State whatsoever.

(signed) Huriah Gilmore

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